Due to the demands of recent events, two Houston-area groups are in need of financial assistance. First is the Houston Food Bank:
The Houston Food Bank, along with many other social service organizations, is suffering from a shortage of supplies and funds as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
This year the Houston Food Bank distributed more than 6 million pounds of food above the normal output. All of that was to feed those stranded after the storms as well as evacuees who relocated to Houston. Brian Greene is the new president and CEO of the Houston Food Bank. He was hired to start in early September, but was working as executive director of America’s Second Harvest Food Bank of New Orleans at the time and stayed there until after Katrina. He says there is an ongoing impact to the food back from the hurricanes.
Second is Texas Equusearch:
A search group that is often the first call for help for those who have missing loved ones is worried about its future. Texas EquuSearch said Friday it is operating at a deficit of $60,000, KPRC Local 2 reported.
The non-profit group has conducted 107 searches for missing people this year.
The most recent case was solved Thursday when searchers found the body of 12-year-old Teketria Buggs in the Brazos River. She had been missing since Dec. 2.
EquuSearch’s founder, Tim Miller, said it’s a hard job, but it needs to be done.
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Searches can be expensive operations, including sonar equipment that costs thousands of dollars to rent for water searches.
Police credit the group’s dedication in finding missing people.
“There’s no way to calculate the importance of it. It’s very critical,” said Craig Brady, with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department.
While EquuSearch has been all over the world trying to provide closure and clear missing person cases, the future of the organization is in question.
“We’re at a point where we’re kind of scared. We’re kind of worried that the finances are going to totally run out and we’re not going to be able to do it anymore,” Miller said.
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Anyone who would like to help Texas EquuSearch should call (281) 309-9500 or visit its Web site at www.texasequusearch.org.
